HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - After a 42 ½-hour delay because of rain, the Marshall baseball team (4-7) dropped a 12-8 decision to Niagara Monday in the completion of a suspended game at University Heights Field. The teams started the game Saturday but finished just three and a half innings before the rain came and washed out play Saturday and Sunday.

Brent Mason (Sr., Sherwood, Ark.) posted a career-best four hits and four RBI to lead the Thundering Herd offense. Brit Vincent (Jr., Bowling Green, Ky.) added three hits and an RBI. Andrew Macdonald went 4-for-5 with five RBI for Niagara.

Niagara (4-8) strung together four straight two-out hits in the eighth inning to score three runs off Marshall's Brian Chrisman (So., Pittsburgh, Pa.) to pull out the comeback win. Dan Parsons, Macdonald and Chris Leendertse hit three straight singles to score two runs and tie the game at seven, and Mike Medici followed with a double down the left-field line to score Leendertse and give Niagara its first lead at 8-7. The Purple Eagles then added four more runs in the ninth to seal the win.

Marshall scored a run in the first on a fielding error by starting pitcher Mike Radanovic and added two in the second on a two-run home run by Mason, the first home run of his Marshall career.

The Purple Eagles knotted the score with three runs in the third inning on a two-run single by Macdonald and a sacrifice fly by Mike Alati. Marshall came right back in the bottom of the frame with two runs on a solo home run by Brendan Murphy (Jr., Chattanooga, Tenn.) and an RBI double by Brit Vincent (Jr., Bowling Green, Ky.).

Niagara cut the lead in half on a Brian Clifford fielder's choice in the fourth inning, but Marshall responded with a run of its own in the fifth inning on a Mason double which scored Vincent. The Eagles shaved the lead to one again in the sixth on a Vincent solo home run.

Again the Herd responded with a run in the seventh inning on a Mason RBI double, but the Purple Eagles came back with the deciding blows in the eighth inning, scoring three times before tacking on four more in the ninth. Marshall scored once in the ninth on an Adam Ptacek (Sr., Assaria, Kan.) single, but the Herd left the bases loaded when Murphy struck out to end the contest. Marshall left 14 runners on base in the contest.

Chrisman (1-2) took the loss for Marshall, going 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs while walking two and striking out two. Sawatzky (1-3) picked up the win after tossing 5.2 innings of relief, giving up three earned runs and eight hits while walking three and striking out two. Addison got the final out of the game to earn his third save.